


Tailypo Calls

by Squarepeg72



Series: Out of the Box [17]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Ghosts, Legends, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:02:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22708180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squarepeg72/pseuds/Squarepeg72
Summary: Luna runs to a cabin in the Poconos to escape the dreams that haunt her. Steve is looking for a evil in the same woods. What happens when thier two world collide?
Relationships: Luna Lovegood/Steve Rogers
Series: Out of the Box [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1073190
Comments: 7
Kudos: 11
Collections: Love You to Death Bloody Valentine Fic Fest 2020





	Tailypo Calls

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SlytherinOwl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherinOwl/gifts).



> Written for Hermione's haven #LoveYouToDeath 2020 event
> 
> Prompt:Person A just wanted to take a holiday. A nice, quiet and calm holiday. Of course that did not work out, it never does. And if everything is not bad enough already, Person B stumbles into their life in the worst way possible.
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/148170750@N07/49532333143/in/dateposted-public/)  
> 

Luna looked around the cabin and took a deep breath. She had finally managed to escape the chaos of the lab and spend a few days recharging. A portkey to the Adirondacks for Valentine’s weekend was the perfect answer to all her problems. Her biggest worry should be what book to read as she sat on the porch,

“No nifflers, no wrackspurts, no tailypo,” Luna sighed as she settled into the hammock strung between the posts of the porch. “Just quiet and calm. Time to recharge and rethink taking that research post.”

Luna had spent the last six months researching the mystical creatures of the Appalachian Mountains. When she had accepted the research position, she had not realized just how much of the eastern United States she would have to see. She had started in the mountains of Georgia and was almost to the end of the Appalachian Trail in Maine. She had decided on this break because she needed to get away from the nightmares.

The snipes of the Smoky Mountains were playful and loved to lead children on chases at sundown. She had joined in on several snipe hunts when she had stayed in Damascus. The children thought they were leading her on an hunt for an imaginary creature, but she saw the dark fur and bright eyes of a couple of snipes as the children played. Harmless creatures enjoying a child’s game. But then she had heard the legend of the Tailypo.

It had started as a ghost story told by Rangers at a campfire, but the the wail of “Tailypo” began to haunt her dreams. Images of yellow eyes and dark fur flashed before her eyes every night. She was hoping that a change in location would help chase the last of the images of the bloody cabin from her dreams.

“Time to read about sweet creature and happy endings.” Luna settled deeper into the hammock as she watched the sun set. “No strange noises in the night. Just pixies and imps and such.”

* * *

“Are you sure about this?” Steve looked over at Bucky. “I want to get the last of this cell of Hydra agents, but I don’t trust the source of this intel.”

Bucky shrugged. “We can get them while they camp in these wilds of the Poconos or we can wait until they go back to the comfort of the sewers of New York. You choose. I’d rather get this done while they are running.”

“A scared rabbit is a dangerous rabbit, Bucky.” Steve pulled his shield off his back and looked into the dark. “I just hope the information was correct. People come up here to get away and relax.”

“Breath, Cap.” Bucky pushed off the tree he had leaned against. “Let’s flush out these rabbits so we can go home.”

* * *

“My tailypo, my tailypo, tailypo,” Luna gasped as she sat up in the hammock. The cry of the tailypo still echoed in her head as the sound of struggle echoed through the woods around the cabin.

Reaching for her wand, Luna prepared for a confrontation with the creature that filled her nightmares. “I do not have your tail, you silly creature. Leave me ALONE. _Lumos_.”

Luna surveyed the area beyond the porch that he wand illuminated. Nothing but trees and bushes. “I must be hearing things. This is what I get for spending too much time on research and not enough time on other things.”

As Luna turned to open the front door of the cabin, a cry of “tailypo” echoed through the silent woods. “Merlin’s beard. Please tell me it did not follow me here.”

Putting her hand on the doorknob, Luna prepared to enter her cabin. A flash of metal in the edges of the light cast by her wand changed her mind. “Who goes there? Show yourself. I have a wand and I know how to use it.”

“Tailypo,” echoed through the woods as the sound of thrashing drew closer to the cabin. Deciding that putting a legend to rest was more important than hiding from it, Luna let go of the door and walked to the edge of the porch.

Luna stepped off the porch with her wand raised in a defensive position. “I can hear you out there. Show yourself … _OOOOFFFF_ ”

Luna’s speech was interrupted as a large body collided with her slight frame. She tensed in expectation of a hard impact with the ground. Luna found herself wrapped in a pair of strong arms and sheltered against a broad chest instead. “Sorry,” a breathless voice rumbled in her ear. “Chasing bad guys. You okay?”

“I think so?” Luna tried to push off the chest she was tucked against. “Doesn’t feel like anything broken but I think your shield is digging into my back. Mind letting me up?”

“When I catch my breath.” The voice continued to rumble in Luna’s ear. “You didn’t happen to see a pair of strangers run through here a few minutes ago? They were yelling 'Tallyho' and just tried to shoot me.”

“I was asleep in the hammock on the porch until just a minute ago.” Luna grumbled as she tried to get off of the stranger’s chest. “All that crashing in the woods woke me up and whatever was being shouted is the thing of nightmares. I guess we should introduce ourselves while we are still tangled together.”

“This is a bit awkward.” The stranger’s dark chuckle sent shivers down Luna’s spine. “Steve Rogers, at your service. I’m guessing you are a witch buy that glowing stick that is stuck in my middle.”

“Luna Lovegood, researcher of all creatures muggle and magical,” Luna could not stop the giggle that started to rise in her. “I’ve always wanted to run into Captain America, I just never envisioned it would happen in the woods in the dead of night. I’m not sure I want to know where my wand is poking you right now. Should your armor glow like that?”

“No, that does not look like a good thing.” Steve rolled on to his side, carefully settling Luna on the ground beside him. “I think your wand is caught. I really don’t want to have to ask Tony to redesign this suit again. It’s finally comfortable to wear.”

Luna sat up and began to pull on her wand gently. She breathed a sigh of relief when she felt it slide out of the panels that had trapped it. “ _Reparo_. Good as new. Just who are you chasing through these woods at this time of night? Why were they yelling ‘Tailypo’?”

Steve sat up and watched the tear in the fabric of his suit mend itself. “Thanks. I think they were yelling ‘Tallyho’ not ‘Tailypo’. What is tailypo and why would anyone yell it out?”

“The tailypo is a creature of mountain myths. It is said to haunt the woulds looking for its tail and shouting ‘Tailypo' as it demands for the return of it's tail. Appalachian legend has it that the Tailypo is a dog-sized creature with yellow eyes, dark fur, and sharp teeth. Not a creature I would like to run into deep in the woods in the dark.”

“Sounds almost as bad as a pair of Hydra agents trying to escape S.H.I.E.L.D..” Steve returned his shield to the carrier on his back. “I’m sorry if they scared you. I guess I should try to find Bucky and head for base. It was nice running into you. If you are ever in New York, drop by the Tower.”

“I might just do that,” Luna could feel a blush creep across her face. “I still have research to do but I have to report my results to MACA in a few weeks. If I survive the legends I am hunting.”

“Safe hunting,” Steve stood and offered a hand up to Luna. “I think I had better be on my way. It is late and I still have evil to chase. Good night Luna.”

“Good hunting,” Luna let Steve pull her to her feet. “ _Appare Vestigium._ Follow the spark to their footprints. It won’t last long. It was nice to meet you. Safe journey, Steve.”

“Safe journey, Luna.” Steve whispered as he watched her walk back into her cabin. “Come see me soon. Don’t make me hunt you.”


End file.
